Attachment for postage meter



M y 8, 1934- w. H. WHEELER JR, ET AL 58,355

ATTACHMENT FOR POSTAGE METER MACHINES 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed April 23. 1950 y 8, 1934- w. H. WHEELER, JR, ET AL 8,3

ATTACHMENT FOR POSTAGE METER MACHINES Filed April 26; 1930 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 IIlIIllIl/IIIIIIIIIII May 8, 1934- w. H. WHEELER, JR, ET AL 1,958,355

ATTACHMENT FOR POSTAGE METER MACHINES Filed April 1930 'o Sheets-Sheet 3 Fatented M... s, 1934 PATENT OFFICE ATTACHMENT FOR POSTAGE METER MACHINES Walter H. Wheeler, Jr., Jacob W. Ogfien and- Francis J. Ronan, Stamford, Conn., assignors to Pitney-Bowe's Postage Meter (30., Stamford, Conn., a. corporation of Delaware Application April 26, 1930, Serial No. 447,534 Y meter machines; while the amount of the post-.

age printed on the strip by means of such attachment will be recorded in the meter of the machine to which the attachment is applied exactly as if such indicia had been printed by such machine on normal mail matten.

The metered mail and other postage meter machines now in use are designed and adapted for printing postage indicia directly upon the en- 2@ velope' or wrapper of each piece of ordinary letter mail. But many pieces of mail are so bulky or of such form that they cannot have the postage indicia printed directly thereon by metered mail machines or devices which are now in use;

age meter machines have to carry a supply of ordinary adhesive postage stamps to use on mail matter which the machines cannot handle.

There have been machines patented for printiiii ing postal indicia upon labels or adhesive strips to be afterwards affixed to mail matter, but such machines can only print such labels or strips and are neither adapted nor designed to also print 'on envelopes or mail directly, nor are they capable of so doing. Our invention will enable a user having a metered mail machine to entirely dispense with the use of. ordinary postage vstamps hr .with a separate machine to print postage indicia on strips or labels.

The primary objectof our invention is to provide an attachment whereby a strip of paper may be properly presented to and between ,the printing dies and the. coacting impression member of a postage meter machine inthe same position that an envelope would ordinarily be presented thereto and have the ed thereon. Another objec is to provide means whereby after .the indicia hasbeen impressed upon the strip, the strip canbe' advanced and the printed portion thereof severed therefrom so it can be applied to bulky mail. A further object is to provide novel means for severing the strip. Other minor pbjects and-advantages of the invention will be hereinafter disclosed.

and at present the owners'andusers of such poststage indicia print- In the accompanying drawings we have shown our attachment as especially designed for use in connection with metered mail machine which is fully shown and described in the application of Wheeler and Ogden filed March 8, 1929, Serial No. 345,515. An understanding of the invention as used in connection with such machine will enable others skilled in the art to adopt and use it in connection with other postage meter machines. In the claims we have summarized the essential features of the invention and the novel features of construction and novel combinations of parts for which protection is desired.

In the following description and claims the wordfenvelope is intended to include any ordinary type of mail matter which postage meter machines are capable of successfully operating upon.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a top plan view of a metered mail machine with our attachment in position thereon. Fig. 2 is a top plan view of the attachment detached. Fig. 3 is an end view of the attachment. Fig. 4. is a front elevationof Fig. 1. Fig. 5 is a side view of the attachment detached. Fig. 6 is a longitudinal section on the line 66 Fig. 2. ,Fig. 7 is a left hand end view of Fig. 3. Fig. 8 is an enlarged side view of the attachment detached and slide advanced. Fig. 9 is a plan view of the cutter. Fig. 10 is an end view of the cutter. Fig. 11 is a sectional view of the cutter on the line"1 1-11 Fig. 9. Fig. 12 is a plan view and Fig. 13 aside view of the cutter frame, and Figs. 14 .and 15 are detail side views of the cutter bar,

The metered mail postage meter machine shown in Figs. 1 and 4 is fully illustrated and described in Wheeler and Ogdens aforesaid application, and therefore does not require any de-. tailed illustration or explanation herein. Said machine is adapted to'postmark and print one or more stamp indicia upon an envelope, and

to seal the envelope, ifdesired, during its passage through the machine; and it also records the value or each stamp, of whatever denomination, that is printed, whether the same stamp be printed one or more times upon the same envelope during its passage through the machine, the total value of all stamp impressions made being recorded in a so-called meter which can be removed from the machine and taken to the post office and set for different amountsof prepaid postage, and whenthe amount of prepaid postage has been used the machine will be automatically locked against further effective operation until additional postage is purchased and the meter re-set accordingly.

The postage meter; machine shown in said Wheeler and Ogdens application is provided with a rotatable drum 16 carrying a set of adjustable printing dies 17b, any of which can be adjusted to operative position so that at each rotation of the drum it will be brought into operative coaction with an impression roller 111 which is mounted upon a yieldable letter supporting plate 112. The drum also carries postmarking and canceling dies which imprint the envelope after the stamp is printed. v

In operating this machine an envelope is slid flap downward from left to right over the plate 112 until its leading end is in position foreperation, then the crank 21 is turned to cause the drum 16 to revolve once and shortly before the dies arrive at the printing point the envelope is gripped between the drum and revolving roller and the stamp indicia is printed thereon as the envelope is delivered to any suitable receiver. In such passage the flap of the envelope may be moistened and pressed and caused to adhere to the body of the envelope. The machine is also provided with means whereby successive impressions of the stamps can be made on the envelope if desired during its passage through the machine, and the value of every stamp printed is registered in the meter.

Said Wheeler and Ogden machine is but one of various machines designed for printing postage indicia upon letters or mail matter to which our invention is adaptable, and we do not consider our invention limited to use with such Wheeler and Ogden machine, but for purpose of illustration will describe an attachment embodying our invention designed for use in connection with the said Wheeler and Ogden metered mail machines.

Our attachment is adapted to be detachably attached to the metered mail machine and as shown, when attached it is supported upon the plate 112 in such position that a strip of paper or other suitable material will be presented at the printing point, and is printed by the machine.

The attachment comprises a base plate 1 which is adapted to be supported upon the plate 112 and extend between the drum and impression roller and can be suitably secured in such position so that the operative parts of the attachment when so positioned will have a fixed relation with the operative parts of the machine. The base plate 1 is longer than plate 112 and the base plate 1 has a hook In (Fig. 4) which engages the right hand end of the plate 112 and adjacent the other end of plate 112 base plate 1 has a clip 17' (Fig. 1) which engages the vertical flange 112a on the rear side of the plate 112. The hook 1h and clip 17' will hold the attachment in position on the plate during the operation of the machine.

The base plate 1 has an opening la in its end adjacent the hook 1h coinciding with the openings in the plate 112 through which the impression roller 111 operates so the printing dies can cooperate with the impression roller in the same manner as if the attachment was not present. Adjacent the inner edge of the base 1 is a longitudinal strip guide 2 having its side edges inturned as shown in the drawings, or it may be of any other suitable construction, said uide extends from the left hand end of the plate toward the opening 1a, the guide however being approximately about one-half the width of the opening 11; transversely of the base. At the inner end of the strip guide 2 are an upper guide 3 and a lower guide 3a which bridge the opening 1a; but are cut away at the printing point, but their side portions support and guide the edges of the strip issuing from the guide 2 across the opening 1a to the rear end of the base 1 and direct the same to a cutter hereinafter referred to. The lower guide 3a however -may be shorter than the upper guide 3, as shown.

The strip S to be printed, is preferably supplied from a roll P which can be removably supported on a spindle 4a attached to a bracket 4 fastened to the base 1 and projecting beyond the left hand end thereof as shown. To prevent too free turning of the roll a spring plate 5 (Figs. 1-3) may be'placed on the spindle 4a between the roll P and a plate 5a, also strung on the spindle 4a, and the tension of the spring can be regulated by means of a hand nut 522 on the spindle 4a. Any other suitable device for preventing too free turning of the roll P may be used.

A strip S is led from the roll to and through 1 the guide 2 and to and between the guides 3 and 3a. To facilitate threading the strip S through the attachment, (and also to properly advance and retract the strip when the attachment is in use) a roller is mounted on a shaft 6a disposed transversely of the base 1 and above the guide 2, which shaft is supported in brackets 1e at opposite sides of the base. The roller 6 is adapted to engage the upper side of the strip but the shaft 6a is free to rotate in its bearings, except as hereinafter described, and is provided with a handpiece 6b on its outer end by which it can be manually turned when desired.

Cooperating with roller 6 is a roller 7 which is mounted on a bracket 7a fastened to the underside of the plate, (Figs. 5, 6 and 8) said bracket 7a yieldably pressing the strip S against the roller 6.

On shaft 6a is a. pinion 6d which is adapted to be engaged by a short rack 8d mounted on a slide bar 8 that extends longitudinally of the base and parallel with the guide 2 at the outer side thereof. guided in a housing 11 attached to the base, and the left hand end of the bar is guided by 2. lug 8a attached thereto and engaging a longitudinal slot 19 in thebase.

The slide bar 8 is normally retracted to the position shown in Figs. 1 and 5 by suitable spring means. As shown one end of a convolute spring 9 is attached to the lug 8a which passes through slot 19 the other end of the spring being fastened to a pin 9a in a housing 9b attached to the underside of the base.

The rack 8d is of such length and so attached to the slide bar 8 that it is out of mesh with pinion 6d when slide bar 8 is retracted, but will mesh with the pinion 601 if the bar is moved to the right, but the rack 8d is not as long as the length of movement of the bar and consequently it will pass out of mesh with the pinion after the bar 8 has been moved the length of the rack to the right and remains out of mesh until after the bar has positively moved back as indicated in Fig. 2. The slide bar 8 can be manually moved to the right, by pressure on a finger piece 8f on its end as shown, the bar being returned by the spring when the hand pressure is released.

As the bar is moved to the right the rack 8d engaging pinion 6d will cause the rollers 6 and The right hand end of slide bar 8 is pinion 6d and draw the strip backward one length. i

The rack 811 is not to be in gear with the pinion 6d at the extreme ends of the travel of the bar 8. The rack 8d is preferably not rigidly attached to the bar 8, but only secured thereto at its center as indicated at 8m (Figs. 1 and 2) which allows the ends of the rack to yield slightly when coming into mesh with the pinion 6d and avoid injuring the gear teeth.

When slide bar 8 is fully moved to the right it operates a cutter whereby a proper length of the strip is severed therefrom. Preferably this cutter is attached to the right hand end of the base adjacent the outer end of the opening 1a and in the path of the strip.

As shown the cutter comprises a body 10 which is longitudinally bored and screw threaded as indicated, but part of the threaded portion is cut away longitudinally as at 10a. Entered in body 10 and engaging the threaded portion thereof is a threaded cutter rod 11 which has part of its threaded portion cut away as at 11a. The body 10 has a slot 10b opposite the cut away portion through which slot the strip S passes, said slot is cut at an angle to the axis of the rod (Fig. 12) to give a shear to the cuttingedge. The cut away portion 11a of the rod leaves a fiat extending the whole length of the cut away portion 10a of the body so that the strip may be threaded between these cut away portions when rod 11 is in the position indicated in Fig. 11.-

To the projecting end of rod 11 is attached a member having two arms 12 and 12a by means of which the screw istumed in the operation of cutting the paper. The member 12 can be fitted on the square end of the cutter rod and secured by a screw 12s. The arms 12 and 12a are adapted to be engaged by the end of the bar 8 as the latter moves to the right; said bar having a slot 8g in its end which first engages the arm 12a and rocks the cutter rod clockwise and this movement engages arm 12 with the slot 89 and the further movement of the cutter rod 11a causes its serrated edge to sever the strip. When slide bar 8 is moved to the left by the spring the slot 8g engaging arm 12 rocks the shaft 11 anti-clmkwise and returns it to the position indicated in Fig. 1.

The advantage of using a cutter with its two members having inter-meshing serrated edges, similar to the screw and nuttype here illustrated is that even if the cutting edges become dull, the paper cannot be drawn in between them as in the case of dull, or poorly set shears or scissors as the-paper has not sufficient tensile strength to stand the distortion necessary to allow it to follow the sinuous line of cleavage between the serrated edges of the rod and-body, and therefore the strip will be clean cut when the members are sharp, or cleanly torn apart when they are dull.

Operation When it is desired to use the attachment to print postage indicia on a strip. the attachment is first positioned in the machine as indicated in Figs. 1 and 4. The strip S, gummed side down, is then led from the roll P through the guide 2 to the rollers 6 and 7, and from this point the strip is fed inward by turning thr Knob 6b contraclockwise, the strip being pinched between rollers 6 and 7 (roller 6 being preferably rubber covered to enhance its feeding qualities). After a proper length is thus fed by hand, the slide 3 is pushed toward the right by means of the thumb piece 8f. When slide 8 is moved the rack 8d engaging pinion 6d causes shaft 6a and roller 6 to revolve and automatically feed the strip S a definite proper distance. When the rack 8d leaves gear 6d in moving to the right the feeding of the strip S will stop, and the slide bar. 8 continuing to move to the right will engage members 12, 12a and cause cutter rod 11 to sever the strip. Slide bar 8 is then released and is returned by spring 9 to its formed thev impression will be made properly ad-.

jacent theend of the strip.

The coaction of the drum 16 and roller 111 automatically feeds the strip forward the distance of one complete impression during the printing as the strip is then pinched between the revolving drum and impression roller. During the printing rack 8d is out of mesh with the pinion 6d and the strip feed rollers 6 and 7 can be turned freely by the moving strip and will ofier no resistance to the natural feeding action of the printing die and pressure roller.

When the desired imprint or imprints have been made on the strip, the slide 8 is again moved to the right, and rack 8d meshing with pinion 6d will cause rollers 6 and 7 to further feed the strip to the right. The distance through which the tion with the postage meter machine shown in the aforesaid Wheeler and Ogden application; it will be obvious to those skilled in the art that the invention, by; proper modification in form of theparts, can be readily adapted for use in connection with other specific types or makes of postage meter machines, as well as for-other machines adapted to print indicia on separate articles but not adapted to print upon strips; therefore we do not consider the invention restricted to the specific embodiment or application thereof illustrated in the drawings. a

We do not herein claim the paper cutting devices per se as illustrated in Figures 11 to 15 inclusive, these forming the subject-matter of a division in part application filed February 20, 1931, Patent No. 1,849,443.

We claim:

1. An attachment forindicia printing machines of the character specified; said attachment comprising a base member adapted to be attached to the machine adjacent the printing point, means for directing a strip to the printing point, a slide bar and means operated by said bar whereby after the strip is printed it is advanced to the discharge and, after the printed portion is detached from the strip, on the return movement of the bar the strip is retracted to printing position.

2. An attachment for indicia printing machines of the character specified; said attachment comprising a base member adapted to be attached to the machine adjacent the printing point, means on said base for guiding a strip to the printing point and to the dischrage point, a slide bar and means operated by said bar whereby after the strip is printed it is advanced to the discharge and, after the printed portion is detached from the strip, on the return movement of the bar the strip is retracted to printing position.

3. A detachable attachment for indicia printing machines of the character specified; said attachment comprising a base member adapted to be attached to the machine and having an opening through which the printing members of the machine can operate on the strip, a cutter at the discharge end of the base, a manually operable slide bar and means operated by said bar whereby on one movement of the bar the strip is advanced to the cutter and the printed portion severed from the strip and on the return movement of the bar the strip is retracted to printing position.

4. An attachment for machines for printing indicia or the like on envelopes; comprising a base plate adapted to be attached to the machine, a cutter at one end of the base, a roller engaging the strip; a shaft carrying said roller, a pinion on said shaft, a bar slidably mounted on the base, and arack mounted on the bar adapted to engage and disengage said pinion on both the forward and backward movements of the bar, whereby after the strip is printed it is advanced to the discharge and, after the printed portion is detached from the strip, on the return movement of the bar the strip is retracted to printing position.

5. A detachable attachment for indicia printing machines of the character specified; said attachment comprising a base adapted to be attached to the machine adjacent the printing point, means on said base for guiding the strip to the printing point, a cutter at the discharge end of the base; a manually operable slide bar, and means operated by said bar whereby on one movement of the bar the strip is advanced to the 'cutter and the latter causedto sever the printed portion from the strip and on the return movement of the bar the strip is retracted to printing position.

6. An attachment for machines for printing postage indicia or the like; comprising a base plate adapted to be attached to the machine, a cutter at one end of the base, a feed roller engaging the strip, a shaft carrying the roller, a pinion on said shaft, a bar slidably mounted on the base, a rack mounted on the bar adapted to engage and disengage the pinion on the feed roll shaft on both the forward and backward movement of the bar whereby on one movement of the bar the strip is advanced to the cutter and on the return movement of the bar the strip is retracted to printing position.

7. An attachment for machines for printing postage indicia or the like comprising a base plate adapted to be attached to the machine, a cutter at one end of the base, a paper roll support at the other end of the base, a guide for directing strips from the roll to the putter, a feed roller engaging the strip, a shaft carrying the v roller, a pinion on said shaft, a bar slidably mounted on the base, a rack mounted on the bar adapted to engage and disengage the pinion on the feed roll shaft on both the forward and backward movement of the bar, whereby on one movement of the bar the strip is advanced to the cutter and the latter caused to sever the printed portion from the strip and on the return movement of the bar the strip is retracted to printing'position.

8. A detachable attachment for indicia printing machines of the character specified, said attachment comprising a base member adapted to .be attached to the machine adjacent the printing point, and having an opening through which the printing members can operate on the strip, means on said base in" guiding the strip to the printing point and across said opening to the discharge point, a roller for feeding the strip, a strip cutter at the discharge end of the base, a manually operable slide bar, and means operated by said bar whereby on one movement of the bar the strip is advanced to thecutter and the printed portion severed from the strip and on the return movement of the bar the strip is retracted to printing position.

9. An attachment for machines for printing postage indicia or the like; comprising a base plate adapted to be inserted in the machine, and having an opening to permit the printing mechanism of the machine to operate on the strip, a cutter at one end of the base, a paper roll support at the other end of the base, guides for directing a strip from' the roll across the opening to the cutter, a roller engaging the strip, a shaft carrying the roller, a pinion on said shaft, a second roller cooperating with the first to move the strip; a bar slidably mounted on the base, a rack mounted on the bar adapted to engage and disengage the said pinion on both the forward and backward movements of the bar, spring means for retract- "ing the bar, whereby on one movement of the bar the strip is advanced to the cutter and the printed portion severed from the strip and on the return movement of the bar the strip is retracted to printing position.

10. In a postage meter machine having devices for printing envelopes and means for directing the envelopes past the printing point, manually operable means for forwarding a strip of paper a given distance after printing, means controlled ing, means controlled by the manually operable means for severing the strip of paper after it has been forwarded this given distance, and means for retracting the strip after a portion has been so severed.

12. A detachable attachment for an indicia printingmachine having devices for printing an envelope and means for directing matter past the printing point; said attachment being insertable in said machine adjacent the printing devices and including means for feeding a strip into position to be printed by the said printing devices, and means whereby the printed portion can be severed from the strip.

13, A detachable attachment for postage meter machines having devices for printing postal indicia upon separate pieces of matter and means for directing matter past the printing point; said attachment being insertable in said machine adjacent the printing devices and including means whereby when so attached apiece of paper may be presented to the said printing devices in position to be printed thereby, the printed piece to be thereafter attached to mail matter like an on envelopes and means for directing envelopes past the printing point, said attachment being insertable in said machine adjacent the printing devices and including means .whereby a strip of paper may be printed by said devices when the attachment is in position in the machine, and means whereby the printed portion is thereafter severed from the strip.

15. A detachable attachment for machines having devices for printing postal indicia upon separate pieces of matter and registering the amount thereof, and means for directing matter past the printing point; said attachment being insertable in said machine adjacent the printing devices and including means for feeding a strip of, paper into position to be printed by the said devices, and means for severing the portion bearing the printed indicia from the strip.

16. An attachment for machines having devices for printing indicia upon separate pieces of matter and registering theamount of indicia printed at each operation of the machine and means for directing matter past the printing point; said attachment being detachably attachable to the machine, and comprising means for feeding a strip of paperinto position to be printed by the said printing devices, andmeans for severing the printed portion of the strip'from the strip.

17. An attachable'and detachable attachment for machines having devices for printing postal indicia upon envelopes and registering the amount of postage printed, and means for directing matter past the printing point; said attachment being insertable in said machine adjacent the printing devices and comprising means for directing a strip of paper into position to be printed by the printing devices of the machine, and means to sever the printed portion from the strip, such severed printed portion being applicable as a stamp to other matter.

18. An attachment for indicia printing machines having devices for printing indicia upon separate heterogeneous pieces of mail matter; said attachment comprising a base member adapted to be attached to the machine adjacent the printing point, means for supplying a continuous strip of uniform paper, and means for severing required portions of the strip; said base having an aperture through which the printing devices of the machine operate upon the strip.

19. In combination with a postage meter machine having devices for printing postage indicia upon individual pieces of mail matter insertedtherein, and means for directing such pieces to the printing point; of means including strip guiding and advancing devices adapted to be operatively positioned in said machine and when so positioned to direct a continuous strip of paper to the printing devices to be printed thereby.

20. In combination with a postage meter machine having devices for printing postage indicia upon separate heterogeneous pieces of mail matter and means for directing such pieces to the printing point; of means including strip guiding, advancing and severing devices adapted to be operatively positioned'in said machine to supply a sufilcient length from a continuous strip to contain an imprint of postage indicia and direct such length to the said printing devices in position to be printed thereby and thereafter severed.

21. In combination with a postage meter machine having devices for printing postage indicia upon separate heterogeneous pieces of mail matter and directing same to the printing point; of means including devices for supplying a strip of paper and severing therefrom a length suflicient to contain the postage indicia; said means being adapted to be operatively positioned in said machine in the space normally used to accommodate separate pieces of mail matter; and to be displaced from operative position when separate pieces of mail are to be printed.

22. In combination with a postage meter machine and the like having printing devices and means for directing separate pieces of matter to said devices to be printed; of a device adapted to be operably positioned on said directing means; and including means for guiding a strip, means for advancing the strip after it is printed and means for retracting the strip to printing position, the feeding of separate pieces of matter being obstructed by the said device when in operative position, and when displaced from operative position permitting separate pieces of matter to be printed.

23. In combination with a machine of the character specified having single yieldable printing means for handling separate pieces of heterogeneous pieces of mail matter; of alternately operable means including devices for supplying a continuous strip of paper, devices for guiding the strip to the printing point and devices for severing the portion printed therefrom, said operable means being adapted to be positioned adjacent said yieldable printing means so that the strip may be printed thereby.

24. In combination with a machine of the 120 character specified having printing means whereby a plurality of imprints may be placed adjacent to one another on heterogeneous pieces of mail matter; of means including devices for supplying a. continuous strip of paper to be printed, devices for guiding the strip to said printing means and devices whereby a length of said strip, variable in accordance with the number of successive imprints made thereon may be severed therefrom; said strip supplying means being adapted to be operatively positioned in the machine when the strip is to be printed and removed from operative position when mail matter is to be printed.

CERTIFICATE or CORRECTION.

Patent No. l ,,958, 355. R May 8," 1934.

WALTER H. WHEELER, JR., ET AL. 4

it is hereby certified that the name of the third mentioned inventor .n the above numbered patent was erroneously written and printed as "Francis J. Ro-

nan" whereas said name should have been written and printed as Francis J. Rouan, as shown by therecord-of thecase in this office; and that the said f Letters-Patent should be read with this correction therein that the same may conform to the record of the case in the Patent Office.

I Signed and sealedthis 19th dayot June, A. D. 1934.

Bryan M. Battcy (Seal) a Acting Commissioner of Patents. 

